Bulkheads for use on railcars, and more particularly flatcars, are generally known by those skilled in the art. Bulkheads are typically attached to railcars when transporting floating loads. Floating loads are generally not restrained in the longitudinal direction, relative to the railcar and rails, by a stop. According to open top loading rules (OTLR) relating to railcars set forth by the American Association of Railroads, a bulkhead is required when transporting a floating load. The bulkhead acts to maintain the floating load in a secured manner in case the load slides during impact of the railcar or shifting of the load in the longitudinal direction relative to the railcar during transport.
Bulkheads are typically attached to a railcar by securing a large member that extends upwardly from the railcar floor in a cantilevered manner. The bulkhead can be attached to the railcar by nuts-and-bolts, welding, any combination thereof, or any other attachment mechanism known to those skilled in the art. Bulkheads are generally attached to railcars in a substantially fixed, or permanently-attached, manner. However, when transporting loads other than floating loads in which a bulkhead is not necessary, the bulkhead may be burdensome to the loading and unloading of the railcar. The presence of bulkheads on load configurations that do not require bulkheads unnaturally limits the loading capacity of the railcar. The weight of the unnecessary bulkhead displaces usable load for transport. Removal of the bulkhead from railcars is very labor-intensive, costly, and may require structural changes to the railcar itself.